Mpumalanga Executive Council shares progress made against foodborne illnesses

Following the foodborne illness outbreak in the province and country, the Mpumalanga Executive Council (Exco) held yet another sitting in Mbombela.

According to the Exco’s spokesperson, Thulasizwe Thomo, the sitting considered a report about the provincial government’s recorded progress in response to the outbreak of foodborne illnesses in the province. “The report takes into consideration the implementation of drastic measures to prevent the spread of the scourge, which include the registration of tuck shops and spaza shops, as well as some verification and awareness roadshows.”

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The report also includes the completed training programmes for clinicians on the case management of foodborne illnesses and for community development workers on food safety.

He said the progress they made during the verification process of shops is also contained in the report. “Notably, shops with no operational licences and expired food were closed down. Some standard draft by-laws were accepted by 12 municipalities, namely the City of Mbombela, Chief Albert Luthuli, Dr JS Moroka, Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme, Ehlanzeni District, Mkhondo, Msukaligwa, Lekwa, Nkomazi, Victor Khanye, Bushbuckridge and eMakhazeni. The report also includes the completed training programmes for clinicians on the case management of foodborne illnesses and for community development workers on food safety.”

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In the Exco’s previous sitting, the council said a total of 365 cases of foodborne illnesses were recorded in Mpumalanga between May and November. At the time, Thomo said the Exco had discussed the implementation of an integrated plan in response to this, in light of the address by the President Cyril Ramaphosa on November 15. “These diseases are commonly caused by the consumption or ingestion of food that is contaminated with infectious organisms or natural toxins, such as those found in poisonous mushrooms. The scourge of foodborne illness is affecting the whole country, and Mpumalanga is equally affected. In the previous sitting, a decision was made to establish an interdepartmental committee to address this life-threatening matter through a multidisciplinary approach, which is led by the MEC for health, Sasekani Manzini.”

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Thomo said the committee has developed an integrated response plan to intensify measures to prevent and mitigate foodborne illnesses in the province. He said the plan reinforces surveillance, laboratory investigation and data management, as well as environmental health interventions.